Texas has spent the last few seasons trying to climb back to the level its roster suggests it should reach, and this year feels like another real shot to do it. The Longhorns missed the College Football Playoff last season, but the bar in Austin is clear: at minimum, 10 wins should be in play.
That expectation starts with Steve Sarkisian, who is entering his sixth season leading the program and may have his most talented group yet. The case for Texas is built on more than star power, though. It begins with how much of the team is actually back.
In a sport where turnover usually eats away at continuity, Texas has done unusually well keeping its core intact. The Longhorns are bringing back 68 percent of their production, which is tied for fifth-highest among 138 FBS teams. The offense returns 73 percent of its production, good for fourth nationally, while the defense brings back 63 percent, which ranks 19th.
That matters because the names coming back are not filler. Jelani McDonald and Trevor Goosby could have left for the draft, but instead they return as key pieces and important leaders at their spots.
Texas also attacked the transfer portal, and that may be just as important as the returning production. According to 247Sports, the Longhorns have the third-best transfer portal class.
The headliner is five-star wide receiver Cam Coleman, who projects as Texas’ top target at the position. The portal haul also includes linebacker Rasheem Biles, cornerback Bo Mascoe, and running backs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown.
That influx of talent gives Arch Manning a lot more to work with. Texas has built an offense that can beat teams in a variety of ways, and the supporting cast around the quarterback looks deep enough to make that possible.
The receiver room stands out immediately, with Coleman joined by Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley V. The backfield also gets a needed boost from Smothers and Brown. Put it together, and this has the look of one of the country’s top offenses, with playmakers spread across the lineup.
Manning and Sarkisian are now heading into their second full season working together, and that relationship matters. Manning got off to a rough start in 2025, but his play improved as the season went on.
There is no question he has the talent and the surrounding pieces to put everything together. Whether he actually delivers on the hype is another matter, but Texas is clearly banking on that answer being yes.
On the other side of the ball, Simmons may be the most electric player on the roster. He is coming off a 12-sack season and has the kind of upside that points toward a huge year.
If Simmons keeps wrecking games the way he can, Texas’ defensive ceiling rises with him. And if that happens, the Longhorns could end up going a lot farther in 2026 than people expect.
In Other News...
Texas May Be Caught In An SEC Power Shift
The SECs push for a cleaner national framework in college athletics has taken on a more urgent edge, and Texas is right in the middle of it. Commissioner Greg Sankey confirmed the league has already discussed a fallback approach if federal legislation does not deliver the structure the conference wants, underscoring how seriously the SEC is taking the possibility of a future built around its own rules and enforcement.
For Texas, that matters because the debate is not just about governance in the abstract. A conference-driven model could change how member schools are governed, how media rights are handled and how access is sorted out in the postseason, all while the SEC continues to press for clearer enforcement and consistency. The league also has concerns about language in the bill that could affect how conferences pool media-rights agreements, leaving the Longhorns and the rest of the conference watching a negotiation that could reshape the sport around them. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Suddenly Looks Like An Answer To Arch Manning's Biggest Problem
For much of the offseason, the biggest question around Arch Manning has been whether Texas could finally give him the kind of protection that lets the offense breathe. CBS Sports analyst Blake Brockermeyers latest offensive line rankings suggest the Longhorns may be moving in that direction, with Texas landing among the nations best groups for 2026 thanks in large part to standout left tackle Trevor Goosby and a roster that now looks far more settled than it did a year ago.
The context matters because offensive line rankings are built on more than reputation. Brockermeyer weighed returning experience, injuries and coaching or transfer changes, and Texas checked enough boxes to be viewed as a legitimate strength rather than a lingering concern. With Georgia at the top and Ohio State also in the mix, the Longhorns are at least in the conversation with the sports elite up front, which is a notable shift for a team trying to make the most of Mannings talent and avoid the kind of pressure that can derail a season. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Sarkisian Weighs In As Texas Waits On Cole Hutson Twist
Texas is watching a familiar name and a fresh legal wrinkle at the same time. Former Longhorns offensive lineman Cole Hutson has taken his case to court in an effort to keep playing, and the issue now sits in the NCAAs lap while Steve Sarkisian and his staff monitor how it plays out. For Texas, it is not just a paperwork matter. It is tied to a player who has already been through the program, knows the system and could still have a place on the roster if the eligibility door opens.
Hutsons argument is centered on the NCAAs bylaw and the way it affects his eligibility, scholarship chances and NIL earning potential. Texas also has a practical reason to pay attention, with the SECs scholarship increase creating room that did not exist before. If the legal fight lands in Hutsons favor, the Longhorns would suddenly have to sort out where he fits in a crowded interior line picture, even as the bigger question remains unresolved for now. [Read more 🡒]